Treatment of undernutrition and electrolyte disturbances in anorexia nervosa.
Medical care of undernutrition and hydro-electrolytic disturbances in anorexia-nervosa differs according to the stage of weight loss, as appreciates through "corpulence index". In each case, it will depend on a precise appreciation of biological data, mainly hydro-electrolytic ones. One has to particularly stress the frequence of hypochloremic-hypokalemic alkalosis which must be treated by isotonic saline perfusion till the normalisation of plasma electrolytes. Refeeding can be achieved either by oral, parenteral or nasogastric tube: this last method being, in our hand, the most successful. The results of short-term treatment is often good; however the prognosis of long term treatment largely depends on the specific care for psychological disturbances.
D000471:Alkalosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D006801:Humans; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*